Fintan: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin
Fintan is an old Irish boy’s name of debated meaning, explained by Patrick Woulfe as “little fair one,” from fionn, “fair.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated November 2026
- Gender
- Boy
How do you pronounce Fintan?
Fintan is pronounced FIN-tan. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first.
What does Fintan mean?
Fintan, in Irish Fionntán, is an old Irish name of debated meaning. Patrick Woulfe explained it as a diminutive of fionn, “fair,” so roughly “little fair one,” while Behind the Name suggests “white fire” or “white ancient.” Woulfe counts more than twenty Irish saints of the name, one of the most celebrated being St Fintan of Clonenagh.
St Fintan (c. 526–603) was a hermit and abbot who founded the monastery at Clonenagh and is regarded as one of the three patron saints of County Laois. He is said to have lived on barley bread and clayey water, and he required his monks to avoid animal products. In legend, Fintan mac Bóchra was the sole survivor of the Flood in Ireland, living on as a salmon, an eagle and a hawk.
Sources: Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923), Behind the Name, Wikipedia.
How popular is Fintan in Ireland?
Fintan wasn't in the 2025 tables, which list names given to at least three babies. It was last recorded in 2024, when 5 baby boys got the name. It was most popular in 1965, when 49 baby boys were named Fintan, No. 85 that year. The most babies got the name in 1971: 69. The records go back to 1964, when 29 baby boys were given the name.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 5 | No. 582 |
| 2023 | 9 | No. 396 |
| 2022 | 4 | No. 657 |
| 2021 | 5 | No. 552 |
| 2020 | 6 | No. 496 |
| 2019 | 3 | No. 764 |
| 2018 | 6 | No. 520 |
| 2017 | 7 | No. 443 |
| 2016 | 7 | No. 448 |
| 2015 | 10 | No. 376 |
| 2014 | 8 | No. 428 |
| 2013 | 11 | No. 352 |
| 2012 | 8 | No. 430 |
| 2011 | 12 | No. 342 |
| 2010 | 13 | No. 322 |
| 2009 | 17 | No. 271 |
| 2008 | 22 | No. 231 |
| 2007 | 17 | No. 241 |
| 2006 | 18 | No. 218 |
| 2005 | 23 | No. 178 |
| 2004 | 17 | No. 192 |
| 2003 | 16 | No. 187 |
| 2002 | 24 | No. 159 |
| 2001 | 10 | No. 226 |
| 2000 | 12 | No. 196 |
| 1999 | 10 | No. 203 |
| 1998 | 13 | No. 179 |
| 1997 | 19 | No. 162 |
| 1996 | 19 | No. 160 |
| 1995 | 22 | No. 150 |
| 1994 | 17 | No. 161 |
| 1993 | 24 | No. 148 |
| 1992 | 28 | No. 141 |
| 1991 | 26 | No. 143 |
| 1990 | 18 | No. 166 |
| 1989 | 29 | No. 133 |
| 1988 | 25 | No. 137 |
| 1987 | 26 | No. 140 |
| 1986 | 25 | No. 142 |
| 1985 | 32 | No. 127 |
| 1984 | 37 | No. 119 |
| 1983 | 32 | No. 129 |
| 1982 | 30 | No. 135 |
| 1981 | 41 | No. 120 |
| 1980 | 39 | No. 123 |
| 1979 | 43 | No. 117 |
| 1978 | 32 | No. 127 |
| 1977 | 34 | No. 122 |
| 1976 | 41 | No. 115 |
| 1975 | 28 | No. 127 |
| 1974 | 50 | No. 107 |
| 1973 | 48 | No. 106 |
| 1972 | 62 | No. 97 |
| 1971 | 69 | No. 94 |
| 1970 | 45 | No. 101 |
| 1969 | 52 | No. 95 |
| 1968 | 50 | No. 90 |
| 1967 | 48 | No. 89 |
| 1966 | 34 | No. 103 |
| 1965 | 49 | No. 85 |
| 1964 | 29 | No. 100 |
Fintan in Ogham
Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Fintan, letter by letter.
- FFearn, alder
- IIodhadh, yew
- NNion, ash
- TTinne, holly
- AAilm, pine
- NNion, ash
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Fintan
Questions about Fintan
- How do you pronounce Fintan?
- Fintan is pronounced FIN-tan, with two syllables and the stress on the first.
- What does Fintan mean?
- Fintan is an old Irish boy’s name of debated meaning, explained by Patrick Woulfe as “little fair one,” from fionn, “fair.”
- Is Fintan a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Fintan is a boy's name.
Sources: popularity from the Central Statistics Office, table VSA50 (CC BY 4.0). Meaning and origin from Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923), Behind the Name and Wikipedia. How we research names: our sources. Spotted a mistake? support@babynamesofireland.com